$XRP $BTC Published on August 6, 2025
🔍 Overview
The Japanese financial holding SBI Holdings, a long-time Ripple partner and blockchain pioneer in Asia, has submitted a groundbreaking proposal to the Japan Financial Services Agency (FSA): A dual crypto ETF that directly invests in Bitcoin (BTC) and XRP.
If approved, this would be the first ETF product in Japan to include XRP as a core component – and could have a signaling effect worldwide for other financial centers.
The details: What is SBI proposing?
SBI aims to introduce two regulated crypto investment products:
SBI Crypto-Assets ETF
Direct investment in Bitcoin (BTC) and XRP
Weighting: Not officially known yet
Custody by subsidiary SBI VC Trade
Target audience: Institutional and professional investors in Japan
Digital Gold & Crypto ETF
Hybrid investment product with gold ETFs and selected digital assets
Goal: Stability (Gold) + Growth potential (Crypto)
Details on asset allocation still open
Why is this so important?
XRP in a regulated ETF wrapper: So far, XRP is hardly included in any global ETF product directly – despite its use by central banks and companies in international payments.
Access for institutions: Japanese pension funds, banks, and insurers could invest in XRP in a regulated manner for the first time.
Regulation made in Japan: Japan's FSA is considered conservative but open to innovations – a green light would be a strong signal worldwide.
Ripple and SBI: SBI is one of Ripple's closest partners worldwide – CEO Yoshitaka Kitao sits on the board of Ripple Labs.
Expert opinion
“A XRP ETF under Japanese regulation is a historic step. Japan is clearly positioning itself as a crypto pioneer among the G7 states.
– Naoya Higashida, Crypto Analyst at Messari Japan
“We see great interest from institutional investors in products with Ripple technology. XRP is cheap, fast, and has long been accepted regulatory in Japan.”
– Tomoya Asakura, Head of Asset Management, SBI Holdings
What does this mean for XRP
Short-term:
Mood improvement among investors
XRP price could gain momentum from ETF fantasy
🇯🇵 Increasing Japanese demand likely
Medium-term:
Entry of institutional funds
Signal effect on other markets (e.g. Hong Kong, Europe, Canada)
Gain of trust through regulated products
Long-term:
Possible basis for larger funds, derivatives & pension products with XRP
Integration of XRP into broader financial market structures
What about Ethereum?
Ethereum (ETH) is not part of the proposed ETF portfolio. ETH was also not explicitly mentioned in the second product idea (“Digital Gold & Crypto”). SBI seems to be focusing on Bitcoin and XRP for the time being – two assets with which they are strongly connected regulatorily and strategically.
✅ Conclusion
SBI Holdings is bringing fresh air to the Asian crypto market with its ETF initiative. Should the Japanese FSA agree, this could mean the world's first regulated XRP ETF – and usher in a new chapter for institutional crypto adoption.
Keep an eye on XRP – Japan could be the tipping point.
Important note
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are subject to significant price fluctuations. Do your own research before investing.
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